CHAPTER 504: CHAPTER 345 BUSHIN DOJO_2

"Gifted beyond compare?"

"Probably."

"Feels like someone like Senior Brother Fujimaki..." Tachibana Youko glanced at the dojo’s center where Uesugi Sakura was putting on protective gear.

Uesugi Shio’s wooden stick stopped spinning in her hand, "Fujimaki’s Sword Dao... is indeed impressive..."

————

Senior Brother Kusunoki, wearing his protective gear, stood opposite Uesugi Sakura.

The first thing he did was turn around and point his sword at the judges’ table where Koshin Kagami sat, shouting, "Don’t be biased! Or I’ll deal with you too later."

Koshin Kagami raised an eyebrow, lengthening his words, "Rest assured."

"Ha— that’s good then."

Kusunoki Kubomaru turned to face forward, looking at Uesugi Sakura through his gear, "Let’s begin, junior brother."

Before finishing his sentence, he took a stance in the mid-tier opening of Sword Dao.

"No bowing?"

"Troublesome! It’s not a rank test."

Thinking there would be a crouching bow, Uesugi Sakura also drew out his wooden sword.

This duel used wooden swords, not bamboo swords, indicating the battle would incorporate some old-school swordsmanship.

It wasn’t a Kendo match.

Next, both drew their wooden swords from their waists and approached each other, letting the wooden swords cross in the air.

Then, they both took a small step back simultaneously.

"Haya—!"

Just as Uesugi Sakura was thinking about how to observe the opponent’s moves.

Senior Brother Kusunoki directly switched from mid to upper stance, slashing a sword straight at his face mask.

His footwork was swift, remarkably fast.

At the moment of the strike, Uesugi Sakura felt the slash’s power was immense, and he stepped back to dodge.

But unexpectedly, the tip of the opponent’s wooden sword changed again after the downward slash.

From attacking the face, it suddenly turned into a side body attack.

Not like ordinary sword skills.

Kusunoki Kubomaru’s wooden sword indeed hit the side of Uesugi Sakura’s protective gear, shouting aloud, "Body!"

Uesugi Sakura looked at the spot that got hit and nodded lightly, "Well, I lost."

Afterward, Senior Brother Kusunoki retracted his posture, holding the sword handle with one hand, smiling:

"Aha, seems like junior brother needs more practice, I’ll take the first point."

Koshin Kagami on the judges’ table looked unperturbed, "This point doesn’t count."

"Huh!? What did you say?"

"No Residual Heart, what’s the point?"

Kusunoki Kubomaru couldn’t hold back, "Good for you, Kagami, didn’t you just promise not to be biased?"

"Look at what you’re saying, even if you bring over eight referees today, I would still judge no points for you."

"Then bring over eight referees to give it a try!"

"Being unreasonable."

"Is this unreasonable? I’m clearly doing as you said!"

Uesugi Sakura listened as the two senior brothers argued non-stop beside him and gained a general understanding of Senior Brother Kusunoki’s strength.

A level of Kendo Fifth or Sixth Rank.

What kind of level is this?

It’s usually someone with over ten years of Kendo experience, aged between thirty and forty, skilled and experienced.

Senior Brother Kusunoki at this age is also exceptionally gifted.

You should know the national champions were mostly policemen in their thirties to forties.

Not to mention, in the Kendo World, policemen are like a towering mountain.

Looking at past champions, you’ll see this mountain’s origin— over 80% of champions were won by policemen.

Senior Brother Kusunoki seems to be over twenty-two.

In the Kendo World, he’s basically a young person.

Uesugi Sakura, eighteen years old, is simply a kid.

So, everyone calling him junior brother is entirely reasonable.

After the two senior brothers finished bickering, Kusunoki Kubomaru finally focused back on the match.

"Come on, junior brother, let’s continue."

"Okay."

Uesugi Sakura didn’t care.

——————

"How’s it?" Uesugi Shio asked.

Tachibana Youko watched Uesugi Sakura swing the wooden sword for a while, unable to describe the feeling, "For some reason, it seems that Senior Brother Uesugi isn’t as strong as before, he had the strength to break a wooden sword, he could give more pressure."

Uesugi Shio merely glanced and didn’t want to state the obvious, "Maybe he’s not serious."

"... Practicing with Senior Brother Kusunoki, not serious? Even when all five of the senior brothers fight together, I find it hard to cope, and this is when I know their styles. They are all champions, after all."

...

Uesugi Sakura indeed felt Senior Brother Kusunoki’s championship prowess.

His attacks were relentless, like waves rushing to the shore, advancing layer by layer, infiltrating deeply.

Moreover, they always changed at the critical moment, making it hard to defend.

After all, a few days ago, that Yakuza goon was taken down by him in just two moves.

It shows that besides Sword Dao, Senior Brother Kusunoki’s practical sword skills are not weak at all.

Koshin Kagami reminded, "Junior brother, that guy Kusunoki’s style is all about variable changes, making it hard to understand where the strikes and real attacks land."

Kusunoki Kubomaru immediately halted, shouting at the referee, "So much for fairness!"

Meanwhile, he swung at Uesugi’s face twice.

The crisp sound echoed through the dojo.

Actually, Koshin Kagami had been watching them for a long time from the judges’ table, finding out that Uesugi could counter every strike, making his reminder somewhat redundant.

Kusunoki Kubomaru didn’t expect the junior brother to be so capable, each move caught and parried.

But Kusunoki Kubomaru knew well that defending would eventually lead to mistakes.

He kept attacking, stepping forward with each swing, giving ample momentum and pressure.

He knew that once close, the advantage of the wooden sword’s length would be gone, greatly reducing the speed of counter-defenses.

Primacy within primacy.

His sword must be ahead of the other’s lead.

With each clash and subtle body adjustment, the attacker’s advantage gradually emerged.

Kusunoki Kubomaru’s past experience told him it was time!

He shouted, gripping his sword tightly, reversed his hand for a feigned grip, flicked, and thrust the handle.

"Body!"

This strike was quick with advantageous positioning.

But unexpectedly, Uesugi Sakura’s wooden sword suddenly appeared above his blade.

He intended to attack!

A trap!!

Kusunoki Kubomaru was shocked, hurriedly switching to defense.

This suffocating sensation, like a hand suddenly reaching out from the fog and grabbing his throat, was a strength he only felt with Fujimaki.

But with the junior brother... is that possible?...

He’s supposed to be much younger than them.

Koshin Kagami was baffled at the judges’ table.

Did Kusunoki Kubomaru deliberately hold back?

Otherwise, why not attack during that opening.

Uesugi Sakura saw Senior Brother Kusunoki realize the situation, but didn’t change tactics, choosing instead to swing the entire wooden sword directly.

With a snap!

Both clashed, resonating with a tremor and reverberation.

Sword to sword, they locked, staring each other down in midair.

My attack was actually blocked...?

No, it should be said expectedly blocked...

But... why did I think that?

Kusunoki Kubomaru quickly adjusted his mindset, pushing forward to create distance, intending to attack again.

Koshin Kagami called out from the judges’ table, "Separate."

Kusunoki Kubomaru quickly snapped out of his momentary trance, emerging from the fog and learning to taunt him in the usual way:

"What’s this, neither a match nor a spar, rules all messed up!"

In a tournament, this prolonged clash would be forcibly separated.

This is a rule of Kendo matches.

In a duel, it doesn’t apply; stay locked as long as you want, as long as you’ve got the strength.

The referee just chuckled without speaking.

Kusunoki Kubomaru knew Koshin Kagami was purposely provoking him.

"You come down! Let’s spar!"

Uesugi Sakura, across from his senior brother, asked, "Aren’t we sparring?"

"No, junior brother, you’re indeed formidable."

Just now... it was like being strangled... then suddenly released.

Kusunoki Kubomaru immediately turned to the referee, angrily, "Kagami, spar with me!"

"Why should I listen to you?"

"Ha! A real man owns up!"

"Talk to me when you’re as handsome as I am."

Uesugi Sakura sheathed his wooden sword, sitting back in the rest area, and watched another banter play unfold.

The disciples who watched the duel earlier also had the urge to ask Uesugi Sakura for some pointers.

Tachibana Youko glanced at Uesugi Sakura, unable to resist asking:

"Senior Brother Uesugi, how strong is your Sword Dao?"

"As strong as the prize money is," he replied.

"So... for this tournament, you’re after the prize money, Senior Brother Uesugi?"

"What else?"